Improvement in springs



PATENTED SEPT. 10,1861.

.A. BRIDGES.

SPRING. I 9

of the slc ndcr strips E.

not bolted or other-Wis) secured, except that UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

ALBERT ramparts, on NEW YORKQN. Y., Assxenon 'ro HIMSELF, AND ALFRED BRIDGES, or NEWTON. MASSACHUSET'IS.

IMPROVEMENT m SPRINGS Specification forming part of Letters Patent 33,277, dated September 10, 1861.

I To fall whom it may concerfi:

'Be it known that LALBERT BRIDGES, of the" ,7 city, county, and State of New York, have in- 'wen'ted' a new and useful Improvement in Springs-for Railroad-Cars and I other Pur-x' 'posesg and I' do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description of the "same, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, in which'- i Figured is aplan view. Fig. 2' is a vertijcal section; Fig. 3, a horizontal sectiofi on the:line S S in Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 and 5 per- 'spective views'of two styles slightly differing each from the other.

I Similar letters indicatelike parts in all the figures; and to enable others skilled in the art to make an'd'use myinvention I will proceed to describe it. 6

A is a. castinghaving' the form-represented, the part A being squared and smoothly finished. I

' B isacorresponding casting fitted nicely to the squared part A and adaptedto slide vertically thereon. C is a. washer, the external diameter of which islarger than A, and I) is a screw securing it to A".

E E, &-c., are thin strips of rolled steel or other suitable elastic material cutin the form represented, each being wider at its'center than at its ends. Suitable recesses or cavi ties a b are formed in A and l; to receive the ends of each strip E and retain itin the manner represented, the elastic force of each strip E being exerted to separate strips Eare equal in size undform each to .the. other, and the recesses a and h are disposed uniformly around A and B, so that the stem A is incloscd within a circuiar'series These strips E are the pressure or load'prcsses upon their ends and holds them within the cavities provided for them.

The washer C andscrew I) prevent the es cape of B when the springis unloaded. When the spring is loaded, the load or compressing force is allowed to act on the upper surface of-B, forcing it" downward toward A and cans- :ing it to slide on the smooth stem A. Such a movement is resisted by the springs E, and

B from A. The

in proportion as the force isincreased the curvature of. the several strips E increases and-the diameter of tl'ieystructure becomes greater, as shown in red outline. If the force is variable, the part B slides with a corresponding motion up and downon thestem A.

The resistance olfer'cd to the descent of .B is nearly uniform, but increases slightly as B descends. A rubber spring G is introduced inthe manner represented, so that it addsits resistance to the descent of B after the latter has been depressed to a certain extent.

By the arrangementof the several strips E E in a series completely around A the structure expands itself equally and slightly in all directions, when compressed, and requires but little space in any one direction to give great force and range. Each strip is'also distinct in its action and divided or separated from its neighbors by a small space, as rcpresented; The strips E may furthermore be made from material which would otherwise be wastedin various branches of manufacture and may be produced at a very trifling expense, because no heating or bcndingis required, but only that they be reduced to their proper dimensions and sprung into the curve required. The spring is also in consequence of the arrangement of E E affected equally by lateral forces acting in all directions, and theseveral strips may, by reason of their arrangement and'the manner in which they are .confi'ned,be removed at pleasure in whole or in part tofrework and retemper, or one half or any other proportion mayheremoved and retained in order, to modify the tension of the spring.

My strips E E may be'of a greater or less thickness and length, according to the force and range required in the spring. They may be widest at their centers, as represented, and

of uniform thickness, or may be of uniform width and thicker-at their centers than at their ends, or they may be both wider and thicker at their centers, as may be most convenient; or they may he of uniform section. throughout as, for example, they may be made of cylindrical wires or square rods of suitable thickness, according as suitable material in either or all of theseforms is most' available. \Vhen strips are employed for these springs .they may, if desired, lie-made very thin and two or more thicknesses may he laid, one exterior to theother.

The rubber mass G may be of any diameler less than thespaee inclose'd within the scrics of strips or springs E and may be of such thickness as the conditions may require; or

.E have become partially set. The rubber may, if (lesired,be.ef such. thickness as to fill" lhe entire space between A and ll, even when the spring is unloaded, and in'snch case will of eourseaid in supporting the load at the very commencement of any downward ino-' tion of but the resistance of the-rubber to such motion will increase in a much more rapid ratio than that due to a series of springs I, which surround it, and according to a different law. v

The sliding guidevA' may be fiat 0;" starshaped instead of square, or may be of apy other form which wilh allow B to slide verti ing laterally or twisting.

Shoes may he provided 'to receive the ends of. the strips or rods E, ifdesired, and in such case 'threcesses in Aand B may be more cheaply-formed by simply turning a groove in each, extending continuously around, the

rally with freedom-and .p'revent' it from niov- I do not confine myself to any particulart'orm of the strips 'E or to any particular form or proportion of the rubber mass G, or of any 7 same being composed of detachable strips, wires, rods, or any other form of springs E,

arranged in. a circular or polygonal series uni- ;formly disposed or distributed around a contral guide or slide'A, so as to expand equally in an directions by the bending of the same, and each being so nearly straight when the spring is unloaded that the resistance of the spring to compression shall 'increase 'but "slightly-as the load is increased, the entire vantages herein set forth.

2. The monntingof a rubherspring G within structure possessing the qualities and ada circular or polygonal series of metallic springs E, so as to act in combination-therewith and to contribute to the tension "and,

modify therange of the spring, substantially in the manner herein specified.

In testimonywhereot -I have hereunto set my namein, thepres'ence'of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT- BRIDGES. Witnesses; r

TH MAS D. S'rn'rsoa.

-D. W. STETSON. 

